Weight loss and depression???

S

sharoncollins

New member
Last week my cousin forcefully took me to see her doctor along with her. She goes to her for a regular check up as she insisted me to check the body weight; we found that I had put on weight though my body has not gone disproportionate. I felt really bad as I am still struggling with some of my personal problems in my life. I am on anti depressant pills.

A few months back, I had read some where that depression and body weight are connected. Does that means that I had gained weight because of consuming anti depressant pills? Is it a proven fact? Can I loose weight now? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Please help me out with some suggestions or tips for loosing weights. Do I need to pursue some specialized treatment course or exercise in comparison to normal weight loss programs or exercises??? Has any body come across any individual who has put on weight due to depression? I will be delighted if anybody can shed more light and make things clearer to me.
 
Without knowing what anti-depressant you are on, it's tough to know the side effects, but allows you to research the pill, and basically gives you a copy of the handout your pharmacist would have given you with the prescription - that includes all side effects. Weight gain is a fairly common side effect of anti-depressants, but generally in combination with a person not watching portion sizes etc..

Read around the forum - particularly the stickied threads on nutrition for some ideas of calorie counts for the day and for some exercise programs. and do talk to your doctor about what you're experiencing.
 
I am not on any anti-depressants myself, but I have a very close friend who is. Sorry, I don't know which ones she is on specifically. She is currently on an extended vacation out of the country or I would ask her.

Anyway, my friend complained to both the general MD and psych she sees about gaining weight...specifically about gaining weight after being prescribed anti-depressants. Both the general MD and psych advised her that anti-depressants can cause weight gain. The docs told her it was a fairly common side effect of some anti-depressant medications.

Against doctor's orders, she stopped the anti-depressants in favor of dropping the weight. Unfortunately, it did not work out well for her emotionally as her depression is not situational and short-lived, but rather because of a chemical imbalance that will be a life long struggle.

She ended up going back on the meds. I know they are currently trying her on different anti-depressant meds to see if they can find one that will work for her without the weight gain side effect.
 
i cant speak for anyone else, but many years ago i was put on a/depressants for what they thought was post viral depression. when i was ill i lost weight drastically. after a while of taking the pills i felt tons better...and started eating again like a pig. i think i put on about 3 stone (> 40lbs) in the same amount of months. it took a few cruel to be kind comments for me to face reality. i then managed to shed the weight whilst still taking the a/depressants, by counting calories and exercise.
i dont know whether it was the tablets or whether it was cos i was feeling better that made me gain weight, possibly a bit of both.
slim
 
I suffered with depression for years before asking for help. I am on pills now. It helps me tremendously! I am able to function on a daily basis: mother, work, social, etc.. I had a weight problem before and now. I see no difference when it comes to weight loss/weight gain. Now, I perform 100% in everything that I do, except weight loss. I eat when I am stressed (binge-eater).

Hopefully this link will help you:
 
Below is an excerpt and a table from The Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine ( ) that outlines which antidepressant RXs may cause weight gain and what can be done to counteract any weight gain effect.

I suggest you read the entire journal entry which is available online in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat File) at the following link:



You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the .pdf. If you don't already have it installed on your PC, you can download it for free here:



Of course, you should consult your physician with your concerns and discuss a plan of action which will be most beneficial to you in controlling your depression and any weight gain.

Best wishes to you! :)

CLEVELAND CLINIC JOURNAL OF MEDICINE VOLUME 70 • NUMBER 7 JULY 2003

Weight gain caused by antidepressant drugs is a major reason for patient noncompliance with treatment and poor treatment outcome. Knowing which drugs are more likely to cause weight gain in the short term and the long term is essential to any discussion with the patient about the risks vs the benefits of antidepressant therapy. Informing the patient up front about the chances of weight gain and what can be done if it occurs helps build a strong physician-patient relationship and promotes good​
treatment outcomes.

Weight gain is a serious concern for patients starting or already taking an antidepressant. Weight gain as a side effect of antidepressant therapy 1–5 in the short term (3 to 6 months) and the long term (1 year or longer) contributes to the reluctance of patients to continue or start treatment.2 Knowing how likely an antidepressant is to cause weight gain (TABLE 1) helps the physician select the best drug for the individual patient. Informing the patient about the chances of weight gain and what can be done about it helps build a strong physician-patient relationship and improves the effectiveness of treatment.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT

Many patients prematurely discontinue their medication as a result of increased appetite or weight gain and may fall back into depression.
On the other hand, fighting weight gain once it has occurred can be very difficult, and it is advisable to consider the likelihood and potential consequences of weight gain when choosing an antidepressant.36,37

Educating the patient about the chances of weight gain as a side effect of treatment and its management is best accomplished through a strong patient-physician alliance and is integral to positive outcome.

Preventing weight gain in patients on antidepressants is the ideal strategy. It typically involves caloric restriction and increased caloric expenditure through aerobic exercise.1 Patients may benefit from a
nutritional consultation and participation in a low-cost commercial weight-loss program.

Individuals can be asked to record weekly weights, and thus both clinician and patient can be alerted to small increases in weight before the problem becomes too difficult.

Maintaining a food diary and behavioral techniques such as increasing meal frequency, smaller meals, or decreasing the pace of eating can help.

Switching to another drug with a lower risk of weight gain is an alternative approach, although this carries a risk of loss of clinical effect.

Addition of another agent such as a stimulant (methylphenidate, amphetamines), an H2 receptor antagonist (famotidine), triiodothyronine,
topiramate, bupropion, or naltrexone may help diminish weight gain.1,37

Although none has been tested systematically, low doses have been prescribed along with an antidepressant in an effort to avoid weight
gain associated with antidepressant therapy.

In our practice, we have found that adding low-dose bupropion (100 to 150 mg/day) or topiramate (25 to 50 mg/day) may help weight
loss when used in addition to diet control and exercise.
Click to expand...
 

Bupropion's side effect is weight loss. Also, I read that it helps addiction behaviors including smoking. Boy, I am on the wrong pill (SSRI)! :)

Best Wishes,
Carrie
 
I was on Cymbalta for a few months after my husband and I separated. I told the doctor that I didnt want anything that would cause me to be hungry and she put me on Cymbalta. I had no problems with it, but I know a lot of anti-depressants cause weight gain so maybe ask your doctor for something different? I weened myself off of my pills on my own but now want to go back on them because I feel that I need them. My depression has stemmed mostly from being overweight. After my husband and I separated it just got worse and I decided that I wanted to do something about it.
 
hey

hi i am on alot of medication that cause weight gain im pretty sure that the meds will cause your appetite to increase therefor causing weight gain and it will also make it hard to lose weight after you can whatever doctor you may go to you may want to ask to be switched from that med on to a different one that could help some antidepressants are worse with weight gain some are better if you are in a stable enough place just ask your doctor to maybe try switching you to a different med that will have the same strength in helping your mood i hope i helped in some way or another





kathy
 
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